Dehumidifier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12196436-B2
Application number	US-202217708873-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2022
Priority date	Mar 30, 2022
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

A dehumidifier with a nesting sensor is provided. The dehumidifier system includes a condensate tank and a dehumidifier that may be positionable between at least one deployed configuration and at least one stowed configuration relative to the condensate tank. The stowed configuration has the apparatus nested within an internal volume of the condensate tank. The dehumidifier system includes a protuberance on the bottom of the condensate tank to activate a switch of the dehumidifier, and a magnet on the bottom of the condensate tank to activate a Hall-effect sensor of the dehumidifier.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dehumidifier comprising:
a dehumidifier housing having a bottom, one or more sidewalls, and a top, said housing including at least a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, a fan, a switch, and a Hall-effect sensor;
a condensate tank further comprising a condensate tank housing having a bottom, one or more sidewalls, and a rim defining an opening into an internal volume within said condensate tank housing, wherein said dehumidifier housing is configured to occupy a plurality of configurations with respect to the condensate tank, including a first configuration in which said dehumidifier housing is atop said condensate tank, and a second configuration in which said dehumidifier housing is nested within said internal volume of said condensate tank; wherein a portion of said internal volume of said condensate tank is unoccupied by said dehumidifier housing when said dehumidifier housing is in said first configuration, and a portion of said internal volume of said condensate tank is occupied by said dehumidifier housing when said dehumidifier housing is in said second configuration; and wherein said condensate tank housing has a ledge adjacent said opening;
at least one float coupled to said condensate tank housing configured to rise with a predetermined level of liquid within said internal volume of said condensate tank;
a first protuberance at a first location on the condensate tank;
a second protuberance at a second location on the condensate tank,
a magnet coupled to said bottom of said condensate tank and located beneath and adjacent to said Hall-effect sensor when said condensate tank is in said second configuration;
wherein said at least one float further comprises a first float and a second float, wherein said first float is configured to float at a first liquid level within said condensate tank, wherein said second float is configured to float at a second liquid level within said condensate tank, and wherein said second liquid level is greater than said first liquid level,
a second Hall-effect sensor; and
wherein said first float further comprises a first float magnet and said second float further comprises a second float magnet.

2. The dehumidifier of claim 1 wherein said first location is adjacent said rim of said condensate tank.

3. The dehumidifier of claim 1 wherein said second location is adjacent said bottom of said condensate tank.

4. The dehumidifier of claim 3 wherein said dehumidifier housing in said second configuration is in a first orientation with respect to said condensate tank housing and wherein said dehumidifier housing in said first configuration is in a second orientation with respect to said condensate tank housing, and wherein said first orientation is different from said second orientation about a vertical axis.

5. The dehumidifier of claim 4 wherein at least one of said first float and/or said second float further comprises a body and a first end disposed closer to said rim than is said body.

6. The dehumidifier of claim 5 wherein said first end of said first float includes said first float magnet and said first end of said second float includes said second float magnet.

7. The dehumidifier of claim 6 wherein said first float magnet is located adjacent to said Hall-effect sensor when said dehumidifier housing is in said first configuration and the liquid within said condensate tank reaches said first liquid level.

8. The dehumidifier of claim 1 wherein said first float magnet is adjacent to said Hall-effect sensor when the liquid in said condensate tank is at said first liquid level.

9. The dehumidifier of claim 8 wherein said second float magnet is adjacent to said second Hall-effect sensor when the liquid in said condensate tank is at said second liquid level.

10. The dehumidifier of claim 9 further comprising a controller configured to receive a first voltage output from said Hall-effect sensor when the liquid in said condensate tank is at said first liquid level, and is configured to receive a second voltage output from said second Hall-effect sensor when the liquid in said condensate tank is at said second liquid level.

11. The dehumidifier of claim 10 wherein said controller is configured to receive said second voltage output from said second Hall-effect sensor when said dehumidifier is in said second configuration.

12. The dehumidifier of claim 11 wherein said controller activates an Off mode when said second voltage output from said second Hall-effect sensor is received and when said second protuberance activates said switch.

13. The dehumidifier of claim 1 further comprising a controller configured to receive a signal from said switch when said second protuberance activates said switch.

14. The dehumidifier of claim 13 wherein said controller is also configured to receive a first voltage output from said Hall-effect sensor when said dehumidifier is in said second configuration.

15. The dehumidifier of claim 14 wherein said controller activates an Off mode when said first voltage output from said Hall-effect sensor is received and when said second protuberance activates said switch.

16. A dehumidifier comprising:
a dehumidifier housing having a bottom, one or more sidewalls, and a top, said housing including at least a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, a fan, a switch, and a Hall-effect sensor;
a condensate tank further comprising a condensate tank housing having a bottom, one or more sidewalls, and a rim defining an opening into an internal volume within said condensate tank housing, wherein said dehumidifier housing is configured to occupy a plurality of configurations with respect to the condensate tank, including a first configuration in which said dehumidifier housing is atop said condensate tank, and a second configuration in which said dehumidifier housing is nested within said internal volume of said condensate tank; wherein a portion of said internal volume of said condensate tank is unoccupied by said dehumidifier housing when said dehumidifier housing is in said first configuration, and a portion of said internal volume of said condensate tank is occupied by said dehumidifier housing when said dehumidifier housing is in said second configuration; and wherein said condensate tank housing has a ledge adjacent said opening;
at least one float coupled to said condensate tank housing configured to rise with a predetermined level of liquid within said internal volume of said condensate tank;
a first protuberance at a first location on the condensate tank activates said switch when said dehumidifier housing is in said first configuration;
a second protuberance at a second location on the condensate tank activates said switch when said dehumidifier housing is in said second configuration,
a magnet coupled to said bottom of said condensate tank and located beneath and adjacent to said Hall-effect sensor when said condensate tank is in said second configuration.

17. The dehumidifier of claim 16 further comprising a controller configured to receive a signal from said switch when at least one of said second protuberance and/or said first protuberance activates said switch.

18. The dehumidifier of claim 17 wherein said controller is configured to receive a first voltage output from said Hall-effect sensor when said dehumidifier housing is in said second configuration.

19. The dehumidifier of claim 18 wherein said controller activates an Off mode when said first voltage output from said Hall-effect sensor is received and when said second protuber

Assignees

• Midea Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Derossett Andrew
• Chapin Zachary

Classifications

• F24F11/89

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• F24F13/222

  for evacuating condensate · CPC title

• F24F1/0287

  with vertically arranged fan axis · CPC title

• F24F13/20

  Casings or covers · CPC title

• F24F1/0358 Primary

  with dehumidification means · CPC title